Wool insulation a “sustainable alternative to polyester fillings”
German textile company Baur Vliesstoffe has developed a “natural, renewable and sustainable alternative to polyester fillings” made with virgin wool and corn.
Called lavalan, the wool insulation is said to already be used in outdoor brands including Fjällräven, Alpina Sports, Tatonka, Grüezi Bag and Ziener. The wool is said to be sourced entirely from European countries and to be mulesing-free.
“Wool is one such fibre that provides unmatched breathability, cozy warmth and a constant body climate regardless of activity levels or altering weather conditions,” said the team behind lavalan. “Besides its thermo regulating properties, wool is capable of neutralising bad odours for a longer use without unnecessary wash cycles.”
According to the company, sheep farmers supply their freshly shorn wool to collection points where it is sorted by colour and quality, then pressed into bales. The wool is then scoured at plants in Belgium and the UK. The wool then goes back to Baur Vliesstoffe in Germany where around 60 employees “take care of the subsequent lavalan production”.
Credit: Lavalan. Image: Wool is sorted by colour and quality.
